Unite calls on election candidates to state what they will do to secure good union jobs in manufacturing

Unite has called an emergency rally for the future of manufacturing jobs and skills in the Upper Bann area.  

When: 12:30 Friday 28 June

Where: St Marks Church, Portadown BT62 3LG

The rally is being held in direct response to 300 workers at Glen Dimplex facing a threat to their livelihoods after management raised the prospect of shutting the Portadown factory with production shifting overseas to Lithuania. The company produces storage heaters and heat pumps. 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Glen Dimplex should be ashamed of themselves, plans to offshore work abroad is all about greed and a cynical desire to further boost profits by cutting the wages of the workers producing its goods.

“Unite is not going to accept this latest threat to our members jobs. The union does what it says on the trade union tin and always fights for the jobs, pay and conditions of its members.”

Unite has extended an invitation to all candidates in the general election to attend and address workers and the local community. Unite is seeking answers from candidates on what they will do to defend the jobs of manufacturing workers. The Upper Bann area has suffered a loss of hundreds of good jobs in recent years including at Thompson Aerospace and Ulster Carpets in Portadown and Sonoco in Lurgan.  

Unite regional officer Neil Moore said: “The Upper Bann area faces another unacceptable jobs threat with the prospect of Glen Dimplex shuttering its site in Portadown and offshoring production to Lithuania. We simply cannot afford to lose good quality union jobs. 

“Workers want to know how it can be so easy for businesses to simply offshore production – destroying livelihoods– all in the interest of making even bigger profits?

“Unite is organising this rally to hear what answers the politicians can offer. Do they back political intervention to save jobs? Will they end the offshoring race-to-the-bottom? What will they do to secure good union jobs in Upper Bann. We need immediate action to secure this area’s long and proud tradition of manufacturing.”

Unite is encouraging members of the public and workers in all trade unions to come out and join the rally.